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Visit to Japan by Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

November 9, 2011
Japanese

  1. Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), will visit Japan from November 16 to 18 (from Wednesday to Friday) with the intent of holding talks relating to refugee policies, and strengthening cooperation between Japan and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

  2. During his stay in Japan, High Commissioner Guterres will meet with key government officials, hold talks with members of the Diet and engage in events including a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, and a symposium "Japan's 30 Years Engagement on Behalf of Refugees-Achievement and a Path towards the Future" organized by the UNHCR together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

  3. In cooperation with the UNHCR, Japan has been extending humanitarian assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons in the world. It is expected that the forthcoming visit to Japan by High Commissioner Guterres will further strengthen cooperative relations between Japan and the UNHCR.

[Reference]
1. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
UNHCR began its operations in 1951 with the aim of protecting refugees and achieving durable solutions for refugee issues. Its fundamental operations are as follows: (1) granting of international protection to refugees around the world, (2) live-saving assistance, including the provision of water, food, shelter, and education, (3) durable solutions for refugee issues, and (4) promotion of accession to treaties on refugee protection by states. As of October 2011, there were a total of 408 UNHCR offices in 126 different countries.

2. Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
High Commissioner Guterres is a former Prime Minister of Portugal, and has been serving in the post of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees since June 2005 (He is in the second term of a five year period which began in June 2010). This visit to Japan will be his eighth visit as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. His last visit was in November 2010.

3. Press Conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan
High Commissioner Guterres plans to hold a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Friday, November 18, starting at 15:00.

4. Symposium organized by the UNHCR, MOFA, the MOJ, and JICA
High Commissioner Guterres plans to attend a symposium "Japan's 30 Years Engagement on Behalf of Refugees – Achievements and a Path towards the Future" to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 30th anniversary of Japan's accession to the 1951 Convention. The symposium will be organized by the UNHCR Office in Japan with MOFA, the MOJ and JICA, at U Thant Hall in the United Nations University on Thursday, November 17, starting at 14:00.

    • (*The foregoing is a provisional translation. The date indicated above denotes the date of issue of the original press release in Japanese.)
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